Last Monday UFCW Local 400 members launched a new campaign to “Occupy Giant and Safeway” including a website occupygiantandsafeway.org and a Facebook page.rnrnThe current contract between Local 400 members and Safeway and Giant expires on March 31 and representatives are already in contract negotiations. If there is no new contract by the end of March, there will likely be a strike vote. rnrnSafeway and Giant are expected to use high unemployment, the down economy, and the expansion of Walmart, to argue for big take backs from their employees. Local 400 members know the truth. Giant and Safeway have been making big profits, despite the economy, and have fully recovered from the recession. They are in fact doing much better, with their union work force, than non-union competitors in Virginia, like Bloom, which just announced the closing of 6 non-union stores. rnrnLocal 400 has announced they will be seeking not just to hold the line, but wage increases, in negotiations. “We must get off the defensive and take the offensive because we will not be dictated to by management, we will not tolerate their usual tricks, we will not be lectured to about how our employers somehow can’t compete, and we will not accept the notion that retail workers don’t belong in the middle class.” said Local 400 President Thomas P. McNutt.rnrnCheck out occupygiantandsafeway.org and continue to follow our blog to keep updated on the campaign and how you can get involved! And be sure to like them on Facebook.
